January 2010 Martin Luther King Day Assembly - Berwick Academy

January 2010Martin Luther King Day Assembly1791 Letter ~ January 2010

During the month of January,I will be honored to attend two publicevents and witness how our Board ofTrustees interacts with parents andfaculty in compelling ways. The firstwill be during a series of New ParentGatherings hosted by trustees andintended to give newcomers to Berwicka window into the history, governance,and financial model of the Academy.Each year, these events lead to greatquestions and great insights fromnew families, and I enjoy watchingour trustees have a chance to interactwith our families in this educationalrole. One of my favorite traditions atBerwick is our January Trustee Dinnerfor Faculty and Staff, where we allcome together to celebrate the missionof the school by honoring teachingexcellence. I have worked at a numberof independent schools and served ona variety of boards, but I have neverseen an event where trustees literallyand metaphorically break bread withemployees in celebration of our schooland its mission.While reflecting upon theseupcoming events, I was prompted toconsider just how much our generalpopulation knows about the role of ourBoard of Trustees, or about nonprofitgovernance in general. I believe thatthe amount of time that a Head ofSchool dedicates to working with his/her Board of Trustees may often beunderestimated by faculty membersand others; additionally, many peopleare unaware of the rewards inherentin this particular working relationship.The reality is that the synergy betweenan effective Board of Trustees and aneffective Head of School is far morecomplex and powerful than a typicalemployee/employer relationship.Fundamentally, the key word whenconsidering the nexus of Trustees andHead of School is partnership. Nohead of an independent school, nomatter how talented or visionary, caneffectively improve a school withouta well-developed and symbioticpartnership with his or her Board ofTrustees.For starters, trustees at BerwickAcademy are all volunteers. This isastounding, when one considers boththe time and responsibility associatedwith the position. When you look upthe word trustee in a thesaurus, youwill be presented with synonyms suchas custodian, fiduciary, guardian, andkeeper. People who choose to acceptthe role of trustee at Berwick Academytake on two primary responsibilitiesas stewards and guardians of BerwickAcademy’s future: 1) To serve ascustodians of the school’s mission2) To serve as financial stewards ofthe institution. Financial stewardshipis far more complex and substantialthan merely supporting the schoolfinancially; it also refers to mobilizingthe Academy’s resources in such a waythat will best enact the mission ofthe Academy. Sometimes people aresurprised to learn that the Board ofTrustees in fact has only one employee:the Head of School. It is certainly thejob of the trustees to hire and evaluatethe Head of School, always usingthe mission and core values of theinstitution as their rudder.Currently, our Board ofTrustees is comprised of 23 membersincluding current parents, formerparents, alumni, as well as an outsideeducator. Day schools typically havelarge numbers of current parents ontheir boards, but one aspect that isparticularly noteworthy about BerwickAcademy is the number of formerparents who continue to serve on ourboard for extended periods of timeafter their children graduate. I thinkthis speaks to the lasting impact of theBerwick experience on our families,and these trustees offer a uniqueperspective that blends both experienceand distance from the daily operationsof the Academy. Current parents stillmake exceptional trustees, but theyhave to become facile at managingthe conflicts that are inherent withintheir roles as current parents (shorttermview) and trustees (long-termview). The president of our AlumniCouncil and the president of BAPAalso serve as ex-officio members of theboard during their respective terms.Berwick Academy’s board includesseven standing committees: Finance,Development, Buildings and Grounds,Academic Affairs, Audit, Long RangePlanning, and the Committee onTrustees. Each year, our Committeeon Trustees works hard at consideringfuture talents and needs for our boardso that we can continue to replenishour membership by adding skillsand resources to move the Academyforward in critical ways.Sometimes, parents who arenew to independent schools are moresurprised at what trustees do not do atBerwick Academy. They are not involvedin the daily operational decisions of theschool, in setting curriculum, nor dothey have any role in making decisionsabout personnel beyond the Head ofSchool. There is a clear distinctionbetween governance/policy (Boardof Trustees) and operations (Head ofSchool and Administration). One other 1791 Letter ~January 2010

critical reality of being a trustee is thatno individual trustee has any decisionmakingpower on their own. The entireBoard of Trustees votes on resolutions,and decisions and actions are takenby the board as a whole. This is whyindividual concerns from parents arenot well-served in being presented totrustees for recourse and rather must bechanneled through the administrationfor resolution.Why would someone chooseto become a trustee at BerwickAcademy? This was a question I askedeach serving member when I arrivedas the new Head of School less thanthree years ago. Without fail, ourtrustees choose to serve the institutionout of a deep and unwavering love ofthis community and its mission. Thereis recognition that others came beforeus who created the experience thatour children now enjoy, and we havea duty to protect it for many futuregenerations. Often the lives of trusteeshave been shaped by Berwick Academyin transformational ways. Without fail,I believe that our trustees also servebecause of their belief that they cancontribute to the institution through acombination of their hard work, theirwisdom, and their financial support ofthe mission. They find reward in thecollective success of our students andthe institution as a whole.As Head of School, I view ourBoard of Trustees as my single greateststrategic asset in leading BerwickAcademy. The breadth of experienceof this group offers me a mosaic ofperspectives and talents that serve asa unique sounding board for problemsolving. The collective wisdom of theboard helps shape my evolving visionfor the Academy, and my hope is thatthey each find a great sense of rewardin watching the Academy continue toevolve and grow. In my opinion, ourtrustees are leaving a legacy throughtheir work at this institution that willimpact thousands of young people andfamilies in the future.I have often said that I findBerwick Academy to be a refreshinglyauthentic and humble place, and Ibelieve that sense starts from theleadership of our board. I often worrythat our faculty and parents don’t fullyunderstand just what our trustees meanto the experience our students receiveeach and every day. And, while it isentirely appropriate for trustees tobe slightly removed from the dailyspotlight at a school such as Berwick, Ihope this 1791 Letter offers our familiessome context as to the importance ofthe role played by our Board of Trusteesfor the future of Berwick Academy.Our trustees embody our core valuesof balance, engagement, excellence,and integrity.People often say that being aHead of School is an incredibly lonelyprofession, which is a bit ironic whenyou spend your days enmeshed in thelives of 560 students, their parents, 140employees, and more than a few alumnialong the way. And while you all knowthat there is a grain of truth to this senseof loneliness at the top, the one area inwhich I continue to find sustenance isthrough my evolving partnership withthese extraordinary volunteers. Being atrustee is all about serving others, andBerwick’s future looks incredibly brightgiven the commitment and passion ofour leaders.Admissions CalendarCurrent families applying foradditional admission places next year,should be advised that our process hasbeen sped up considerably this year forapplicants to grades K-8. We will bemailing our first round of new admissionoffers to prospective students during1791 Letter ~ January 2010the first week of February this year.Our Upper School process remainsunchanged from prior years.Re-enrollmentJust a reminder that reenrollmentcontracts for next year willbe mailed out during the last week ofJanuary and will need to be returnedduring the last week of February. Givenincreased demand for admission placesand financial aid, adherence to thesedeadlines will be particularly criticalthis year.Parent ForumsI would encourage anyinterested parents to attend our BAPAParent Forums in February. We havemade one adjustment to the mastercalendar in that the Lower SchoolForum will take place on February 16,and the Upper School Forum will takeplace on February 23. More detailswill be forthcoming in the divisionweeklies.School Spirit on the RiseWe are all excited about thenew twists that are occuring as we worktoward raising school spirit this year.We hope students enjoyed our new“Hockey Night at the Whit,” and willalso appreciate the exciting changesto our K-12 MLK Assembly. We alsohave a new model for the pep-rally thatwill include an effort to draw a largenumber of Berwick students to attendat least half of the varsity basketballgame on January 29.

Peter SalibaOne of my clearest memoriesgrowing up is when my high schoolgrades and comments would arrive athome over the holiday break. Usuallyat that time of year, I was in full vacationmode which meant sleeping in late,and watching episodes of “MASH” and“CHiP’s” in the middle of the day. Themail would arrive through the frontdoor with a thump, and I would rushto be the first one to go through theenvelopes.Usually, the fateful day camethree or four days before New Year’sDay which meant I would have to livewith the realities of my grade reportfor about a week. Generally, I was apretty good student during my highschool years. Although I did have myshare of academic mishaps, I believedthat I was working hard and my effortsusually paid off. My experience wastypical in that I struggled a bit for thefirst two years, and then hit my strideas I approached my senior year.In my freshmen and sophomoreyears, I remember distinctly hoping andwishing that perhaps, maybe once, thelarger powers of the Universe wouldput me on the honor roll. Making thehonor roll was something that I cravedbecause I thought I deserved it after allmy work. However, despite my efforts,I missed the list and always seemed tofall just short of the mark.who was more surprised, my family orme. In any event, I felt like I scoredthe winning OT goal for the rest ofvacation. Although there was no overtreward for attaining honor roll (thosebumper stickers had not been inventedyet), I beamed with pride.I imagine that the feeling forstudents these days is pretty similar whenearning this academic honor. About30% of our students make Honors, andapproximately 12% make our HighestHonors. By making this list, studentshave distinguished themselves in theiracademic studies. They should feelproud because attainment of this goalis related to their own diligence, andother factors directly in their control.For the most part, the rewardof honor roll is still intangible. Yes, youcan get some discounts on your autoinsurance, and for the skiers out there,you can get a season’s pass for $49(seriously!) at Saddleback. However,the major reward is the satisfaction of ajob well done. That is the best rewardof all. And for those who haven’t quitemade it yet, believe me, it will comewith diligence and patience.Fan or Follow!Berwick Academy is on Facebook!Become a fan to see daily updates,photos, videos, and more.www.facebook.com/berwickacademyBerwick Academy is usingTwitter! Create a profile andchoose to “follow” BerwickAcademy. Opt to receive updatesvia phone and you will receive atext message every time we postsomething new!www.twitter.com/berwickacademyDuring my junior year, I knewI had done well, or at least better thanthe previous years. I connected withmost of my teachers, and I had beenpretty diligent with my studies. As Itore through the envelope, I hopedthis would be my moment. Much tomy surprise, I made it. I’m not sure 1791 Letter ~January 2010

College seems a long distanceaway when one is the parent of a MiddleSchool-aged student. There are, afterall, those four years of secondaryeducation ahead. However, the timewill pass quickly, and the foundationslaid today will support the collegestudent in a future that is nearer thanwe may wish to think.I am not the only educator whothinks that it’s necessary to look furtherdown the road and keep the destinationin mind. Patrick Sullivan, a professorwho wrote an article, “An Open Letterto Ninth Graders,” published in themagazine, Academe (a publication ofthe American Association of UniversityProfessors) last January, identified fiveareas of skills without which no studentbelongs in college. Take a momentand see if you think your child is on hisway:Reading: Students who areready for college like to read, haveread lots of “important” books, and settime aside in their lives to read for thesheer fun of it. In the Middle School,the faculty works hard to select booksthat are “good for you” as well as thosethat inspire. Yes, many of us have beenpersuaded to read all of the Twilightseries (I’ve completed three), and partof the joy is sharing what we think asadults with readers who are younger.“The Cay,” “A Swiss Family Robinson,”“To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Hatchet,”“The Wizard of Oz,” are all importantbooks when one considers that part ofour work as educators is to open doorsfor students who might pass theseby. This fall, I accompanied eighthgrade students and their parents to aperformance of A Midsummer Night’sDream at UNH after the students hadread the play. The connections drawnand the expressions on the faces in theaudience led me to believe that thelanguage of Shakespeare was indeedappreciated. Recently my book groupdiscussed the Pulitzer Prize winner,Olive Kitteredge. We did not likethe main character, and the discussionhas migrated into the Middle Schoolamong teachers and staff. We’re stillweighing in on Olive. Reading a bookcan be a powerful social tool; evenwhen the reader does not like the bookor its character!Writing: Sullivan tells thereaders of this article that writers“should expect any piece of seriouswriting to require considerable effort.”Often, I have seen students lookbewildered when a piece they tossedoff quickly in one draught is returnedwith its margins covered in red ink anda low grade at the top. Writing thatis undertaken with the idea that it willundergo several transformations makesthe writer as well as the writing better.He remarks that the most troublesomestudents in college are ones who thinkthey have nothing further to learnabout writing. Sullivan recommendsthat students grow accustomed toasking readers for their input; parents,friends, even online readers. He alsoemphasizes that good writers carefullycraft their thesis statements. As thisthird quarter of the academic yearopens, please listen for the term, ’thesis.’Our students will be using it often.Thinking: My favourite pieceof advice from this article is “seek outclasses and learning experiences thatchallenge you.” If we adults embracethe learning of new and challengingideas, words, or skills, we can model1791 Letter ~ January 2010these for our children. Imagine wheremost of us might have landed if we hadkept our minds closed and reigned inagainst new ideas!Listening: This is a skill forone’s life, and with it should growincreasing empathy and patience.Sullivan claims that listening is whatmany college courses require. Activelistening is far from just hearing. Itgoes into the realm of processing,analyzing, synthesizing, and makingnew ideas or products out of the initialwords heard. Good listeners know howto question, to attend, to offer support,and to share more than spoken words.Good listeners wait their turn, and thatskill development starts long beforeschool begins for a child.Grit: Many times I havespoken about the goal of resilience ascentral to our mission in the MiddleSchool. Hockey players who pickthemselves up off of the ice after beingchecked and race to the opposite goalare just plain plucky. The same can besaid for soccer players who never giveup during a game played in the rain,or riders who draw a stubborn horsein a competition. All of these athletesunderstand what ‘grit’ means. Our hopeis that they take that and apply it totheir academic challenges as well. “I’mbored,” is not spoken by a tenaciousstudent, nor is, “This is stupid.” Thoseare the words of people in serious needof resilience and a transfusion of steelinto their spines. Learning is scarybusiness, and failures can become thefodder for great success.I hope you have seen signsof these characteristics developing incontinued on pg. 16...

Rob QuinnPep Rally January 29 at 3pmThe time of this year’s PepRally has changed. In years past ourwinter Pep Rally, was traditionally heldduring the end of the academic day, buthas been moved to right after schoolin hopes that after our display of spiritand excitement, our students will stayand watch a couple basketball games.The thought behind this shift was tocapture this energy and have a gamethat all of our students, K-12, can attendtogether and enjoy the atmosphere.We are excited about this new timechange which will include teamintroductions, dance performances, afaculty vs student basketball game anda pep band. Food will be served duringthis event. There will be no early busfor the students because of the Peprally schedule, but there will be a latebus leaving at 5:15 p.m.Boys Varsity Hockey Picks up a BIG AssistThe Boys Varsity Hockey teamearned a big “Thank You” from NewHampshire Catholic Charities over theholidays for donating gifts to a familysuffering from the current economicdownturn. Each player was involvedin shopping then delivering the gifts.Coach Lathrop donated gifts to theparents. The staff at the Rochesteroffice of NH Catholic Charities wereso very grateful. They said “When theparents picked up their gifts, they werespeechless. They struggled to fit all thegifts into their vehicle. Hopefully yourgenerosity allows them to get throughthis difficult time in their lives.” Thiswas a proud moment for our studentathletesand we congratulate the teamfor their efforts.BA Hockey Night at the WhitWe had a great turnout by theBerwick Community at the WhittemoreCenter on the campus of the Universityof New Hampshire on Thursday,January 7. It was a great experiencefor all who attended the games and abig thrill for our student-athletes whocompeted on the Olympic sheet ofice. We hope to make this an annualtradition for our teams.C & J TrailwaysMany thanks go out to C&JTrailways for providing coach bustransportation for our longer varsityand junior trips. Our coaches, athletes,and parents are very appreciative.Coaches can plan, prepare and talk toplayers; players can use the travel timeto study, and are much more ready toplay after a long bus ride. We are allgrateful.Game Day InformationThe Portal is the place to findyour daily game schedule. Each teamhas their own sports page with detailsregarding team activities which includerosters, schedules, announcements,departure and return times. If youare unable to use the Internet or aretraveling and need game cancellationinformation, please call BerwickAcademy and dial x1500 for the generalathletic department hotline at x1500or you can dial the Athletic Director atx2800 for recorded information aboutweather-related cancellations.Blue and White WeekJanuary 25 is the beginningof a week of school spirit activities.This week will culminate with an allschoolpep rally on Friday, January 29with a full schedule of home gamesimmediately following the pep rally.We will have a Varsity Basketballdouble header on Saturday, January 30with the girls team tip-off at noon vsBancroft and the boys playing ChapelHill Chauncey Hall at 2 p.m. TheVarsity Boys Hockey team has a big tiltvs Belmont Hill School in the DoverArena at 3pm.Eye on SpringSpring sports are only sixweeks away, beginning March 3.Coaches should be getting importantinformation to players by the beginningof February.• Boys’ Lacrosse Helmets:The varsity team is wearing blackhelmets with blue visors. These arenot mandatory for all levels. If youare buying a new helmet you shouldconsider buying one with these colors.AD Rob Quinn will be placing ordersfor helmets by the first of February.There are several models of Cascadehelmets we can purchase at competitivepricing.• Girls’ Lacrosse Goggles:There are many styles and makes. Therewill be a limited number available inthe bookstore. When you buy goggles,make sure they are ATSM certified forlacrosse.• Baseball bat standards areregulated in our leagues. The varsityteams use wood bats in all league games.Middle School may use composite batsthat meet certain standards. Bats thatare 30 inches or longer must have alength-to-weight differential no greaterthan 3. For example; a bat that is 31inches long, cannot weigh less than 28ounces. Bats that are 30 inches or lesscannot have a differential of more than5.continued on pg. 16...1791 Letter ~ January 2010

The Berwick AcademyUpper SchoolpresentsTheKingandIFriday, February 26 at 7 p.m.Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m.Rodgers and Hammerstein’s blockbustermusical, The King and I, will be stagedFriday and Saturday, February 26 and27 in the Patricia Baldwin Whipple ArtsCenter at Berwick Academy. “I Whistlea Happy Tune,” “Getting to Know You,”“Something Wonderful,” “Hello, YoungLovers,” “I Have Dreamed,” and “ShallWe Dance,” are but of few of the musicalnumbers from this beloved classic ofthe American Musical stage.The cast features Jo Fletcher as AnnaLeonowens, Frederick Diengott, as theKing, Cristina Salvador as Lady Thiang,Tyler McFarland as the Kralahome,Elizabeth Hopkins as Tuptim, ConnorHaley as Lun Tha, Henry Youngas Prince Chululongkorn, AustinFishbaugh, as Louis Leonowens, NateWinters as Sir Edward Ramsay, JaneMerrow as Eliza, and Breandàn Haleyas Captain Orton.Led by artistic director Liz-Anne Platt, music director Brenda LaForce, and assistant music director Seth Hurd ’90,more than 90 members of the BA community are at work on stage, behind the scenes, and in the orchestra to preparethis classic tale of East meets West. Faculty members Raegan Russell, Polly Davie, Sasha Randall and Brad Fletcherhave assembled a large technical staff to meet the challenges of designing and constructing the elaborate scenery,lighting and costumes required for this production. Sasha Randall is also joined by her colleague Christine Bessette,as they choreograph the many dances, including the “Small House of Uncle Thomas Ballet,” inspired by the originalBroadway staging, but with a unique and fresh BA interpretation.Order your tickets today! 1791 Letter ~January 2010

The Berwick Academy Upper SchoolpresentsThe King and IFriday February 26 and Saturday February 27 at 7:00 p.m.Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts CenterTicket Order Form• Reservations required – seats are assigned on a first-come basis.• Tickets must be pre-paid - please include cash or check payable to Berwick Academy.• Tickets are NOT mailed. Tickets will be held at the theatre and may be picked up one hour prior to theperformance.Friday, February 26, 2010Name:______________________________Number of student tickets at $4.00 each _____ Cost ______Number of adult tickets at $7.00 each _____ Cost ______Total number of tickets_____ Total _____Saturday, February 27, 2010Name:_______________________________Number of student tickets at $4.00 each _____ Cost ______Number of adult tickets at $7.00 each _____ Cost ______Total number of tickets_____ Total _____Please return to:Louise Rouleau, RegistrarBerwick Academy31 Academy StreetSouth Berwick, ME 03908Please call Ms. Rouleau at 207-384-2164 ext. 2500 with any questions.1791 Letter ~ January 2010

you gotta have ArtsWinterfest 2010Berwick’s annual Winterfestwill be held on Friday, January 22,at 7:00 p.m. in the Patricia BaldwinWhipple Arts Center. The performanceis dedicated to our most advancedstudent performers who were selectedthrough a rigorous audition process.This year, 55 auditions were scheduledover three days to accommodate 74students in grades one through twelverequesting auditions. These studentsauditioned as soloists, in duets, and astrios or in small ensembles, exhibitingenthusiasm, excitement, commitmentand a dedication to their chosenperforming art. Berwick’s performingarts students continue to raise thestandards. This level of dedication andresponsibility makes the final selectionof the performers for the annualconcert extremely challenging.Again this year, selectedwork from visual art students will bepresented in the annual Winterfest ArtExhibit hung in the arts center lobby.Please mark this date on your calendar;it is a wonderful event devoted to thearts. The admission is free and seatingis on a first-come-first-served basis.The snow date is planned for Sunday,January 25 at 2:30 p.m.DanceThe dance program is buzzingwith anticipation as we prepare for the2010 spring performance of “Imagesand Words.” Volunteers are needed tomake this recital run as seamlessly aspossible; if you are interested pleasecontact Sasha Randall at srandall@berwickacademy.org. All help iswelcome, both as we work toward theshow and during the rehearsals andperformances. Please be on the lookoutfor upcoming mailings and portalupdates regarding the spring shows.January is another wonderfulperformance month for the Berwickdancers. The annual Winterfestperformance on January 22 at 7:00 p.m.in the Whipple Arts Center never failsto entertain and astound. On January23, Senior Chelsea Johnson and eighthgrade student Madison Johnson willrepresent Berwick at a performance atScarborough High School. Chelseaand Madison will be presenting theirown choreography for this showcase ofhigh school dance companies. Finally,to close the month of January, thedancers will help bring spirit to the All-School Pep Rally with a set of excitingdances. We hope you can attend oneor more of these events!MusicFestival Invitations—Musicstudents, parents, faculty andadministrators are invited to attendthe Maine District 1 High SchoolHonors Music Festival Concert at 3:00on January 23 at Noble High School.Attendance at this concert not onlysupports our student musicians, MaryDePascale, Asher Siegel, Skyler Stern,and Justin Koppstein, who have beenaccepted by audition, but also providesinsight into the opportunities for largeensemble experience that exist forUpper School music students.We also extend an invitationto attend the Concert of the YorkCounty Junior High Honors Festivalat 4:30 on Feb 6 at Kennebunk MiddleSchool. Again this year, the studentsparticipating have sacrificed the funand engagement of the annual MiddleSchool Ski Trip to perform withmusicians from York County, devotingtwo days to the large ensembleexperience. We know that NoahLandis, Chloe Schmir, MacKenzieLevy, Eimile Bowden, Cora Ordwayand Suzanna Borg will have a wonderfulexperience and we thank them for theircommitment to their music and theprogram.Visual ArtScholastic Art Competition—The Alliance for Young Artists &Writers invited students from across thenation to participate in The ScholasticArt & Writing Awards of 2010, thenation’s longest running, largest, mostprestigious recognition program forcreative teenagers in the visual andliterary arts.Each visual work submitted isreviewed by a panel of arts professionalsfor the following criteria: originality,technical skill, and emergence ofpersonal vision or voice as the pieceis considered in conjunction with thefollowing regional awards:GOLD KEY: Work demonstrating thehighest levels of originality, technique,and personal vision. Gold Key artworkis forwarded to New York City fornational adjudication. Students arerecognized with Gold Key lapel pinsand certificates.SILVER KEY: Work demonstratingachievement worthy of recognitionon the regional level. Students arerecognized with Silver Key lapel pinscontinued on pg 16...10 1791 Letter ~January 2010

President’s NotesWelcome back everyone! Ihope you had a fun and relaxing break.We are starting the year by hitting theground running. We are preparing forthis year’s benefit auction scheduledfor April 24, 2010. Our theme this yearis Community. We want this auctionto celebrate the community that isBerwick Academy and also celebratethe communities that help us everyyear by supporting us in this wonderfulevent. The annual auction is BAPA’s solesource of funding for over fifty studentenrichment and social activities. BAPAalso provides support to communitybuildingwith contributions to facultyand staff appreciation, parent socials,campus historical preservation andfinancial aid.This benefit is our biggestBAPA event of the year, since the entireparent body is able to gather togetheras a whole community. This year is alsothe first year we have taken the eventoff campus; so, be a part of this terrificparty with great company, fine food anda warm and fun atmosphere. There willbe items of every description on whichto bid including a “green” section withall kinds of environmentally friendlyofferings. In addition to the live event,BAPA will host an online auction whichwill open for bidding during the lastweek of March. Check it out at www.bapaauction.cmarket.com, tell yourfriends and family and place it on yourfavorites list! Thanks so much for yoursupport!Don’t forget to Vote!As in past years, after fundingthe BAPA budget, the 2010 BAPAbenefit auction proceeds will be splitevenly among the three divisions. Whodecides where these funds go? You do!Look for an e-mail from the school witha link to Survey Monkey—it will onlytake you a few seconds to complete theonline ballot. You can also download aballot from the portal and send it in tothe BAPA office. Voting closes February5, 2010.BAPA Board Openings for 2010-2011The BAPA Board is lookingahead to next year! If you are interestedin becoming involved in the BAPAleadership, and would like to beconsidered for a position, please submityour name along with the position orpositions you are interested in, to myattention, via e-mail or letter (mailto the Academy, attention BAPA),by February 1, 2010. The openingsfor next year are: one Middle SchoolCoordinator, one Upper SchoolCoordinator, and Auction Chair(s).Like to learn more? Check out the jobdescriptions in the Downloads sectionof the portal or contact me and I’ll putyou in touch with the person currentlyholding position in which you areinterested.Jean JarvisJean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.netPresident BAPATreasurer’s ReportNovember 30, 2009Income:$5104.76 - Net LS Book Fair and BakeSale credit card receipts – More incomeand expenses have yet to be booked.$1852.24 - Net US Magazine Sale1791 Letter ~ January 2010(Upper School Prom) – More incomeand expenses has yet to be booked.BAPA Expenses:Upper School$154.82 - Clubs/Extracurricular –snacks for December finals$174.78 - Clubs/Extracurricular –freshman exam packages$23.98 - Socials and Dances – cupsand Gatorade packetsTotal US $353.58Total BAPA Expenses 12/1/09–12/31/09 $353.58Net BAPA Income 12/1/09 – 12/31/09$6611.67Nancy Noyesnnoyes@comcast.netSchools TreasurerUpper School NewsThe Upper School WinterSemiformal was a success with 225R.S.V.P’s from our students. I heardthat the DJ was good, the food wasdelicious and there were no mishaps.The parents would like to thank JenOnken, her work crew and the facultywho attended. Thank you to JaniceMurray for shopping for the Lindtchocolates that were provided onevery table. Just so that you are aware,BAPA sponsored the DJ, invitations,chocolates, security and decorations.The literary magazine, “TheVernacular” is out, and if you haven’tseen it check out some amazing studentworks. The Lassiter Buddy Carecontinued...11

packages were sent out in December.Financial help was provided by BAPAfor both of these projects.I sincerely want to thank all theparents who took the time to emailme with comments, concerns andsuggestions for the class representativeand coordinator meeting with PeterSaliba that was held January 12. It wasa very positive and productive meeting.Please save the date of February 23 at7 p.m. and come to the US Forum 3rdfloor Fogg to hear the results.Thanks to Kathy Voss who has beentabulating the results of the MagazineDrive for months now; her job beganin September and is just winding down.She has found and fixed mistakes andworked through the QSP rep quittingin the middle of the process. It is withgreat vivacity that she announced$2417.44 was earned for the Junior/Senior Prom. The quick Christmas cardsale brought in $193.80 and our UpperSchool budget traditionally gives$1500 towards the prom. Therefore, acheck of $4111.24 will be written anddelivered.Mary Pat and Wendy Harrington sentout the survey for the spring volunteeropportunities. Please respond beforeJanuary 21. An event that is quicklyapproaching is Language Day, MondayJanuary 25 and we are looking for 7-10volunteers to help.The next dance will be the Valentine’sDance on Thursday February 11.BAPA will again financially support thisevent.Emails are always appreciated!Suzanne McFarlandsuzannerye@comcast.netMary Pat DolanMarypat.dolan@comcast.netMiddle School NewsWelcome back to school!We hope you all had a relaxing andenjoyable vacation and were able tospend some much needed time withfamily and friends. As we embark uponthe second semester, the Middle Schoolis in full swing with a variety of eventsand social opportunities. January 8 wasa busy day for our Middle Schoolers.The fifth and sixth grades had a funafternoon of bowling and arcades atthe Dover Bowl and the seventh andeighth grade students had a dancewith a DJ on campus. Both events weresponsored by BAPA.! Another BAPAsponsored event will be the upcomingannual MS Ski Trip to Gunstock onFriday, February 5. Students can Alpineski, cross country ski, snow shoe or gotubing.On January 12 we had ourannual Head of School Luncheon inthe Commons Lounge. This lunchwas attended by Division Directors,Student Deans and the many parentswho have volunteered their time atschool. It was a nice way to show ourappreciation for all that they’ve done.Dr. Zurawel hosts severalcoffees during the year in theCommons Lounge. Our last coffeewas held on January 14. If you haven’tattended a MS coffee, you should markyour calendar for the next one on April9. It’s a great way to find out what ishappening in the Middle School andto get to know other parents.Mark your calendars forFebruary 9. Rosemary Zurawel willhost a Wine & Cheese Gathering inthe Commons from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00p.m. before the Middle School ParentForum that will begin at 7:00 p.m. thatevening.Lastly, we are in need ofvolunteers to coordinate class gifts forthe auction. The Middle School giftshave been purchased but need somecreative and artistic flair. Won’t youconsider helping out for this worthyand fun event? Class gifts always seemto be a big hit at the auction. If youare interested in coordinating thisproject please contact Andrea Bristol(malted92@comcast.net ) or JoanneMeyer (jomeyer777@aol.com).Joanne MeyerMS CoordinatorLower School NewsThe Lower School Pizza BingoNight will be held Friday, January 22,in the Commons. This is a great nightfor Lower School families, featuringdelicious pizza and fun bingo games!The night is hosted by Joel Haweswith pizza and prizes provided byBAPA. Kindergarten and secondgrade families will be asked to bringwater, first and third grade familieswill be asked to bring dessert, andfourth grade families will be asked tobring salads. An RSVP flier with thisinformation will be coming home inyour LS student’s backpack next week.A look ahead: the LowerSchool Parent Forum has been movedto February 16. Topics generatedfrom the January 12 class rep meetingwith Joel Hawes will be included onthe agenda. Stay tuned for details onthe annual LS Skating Party as well!And finally, we have many upcomingvolunteer opportunities; please contactBeth or Pamela if you’d like to helpwith costumes for the LS Production,the fourth Grade Memory Book, or theclass gifts for the auction. Thank you!Pamela ObergPamela@theobergs.netBeth Tykodibptykodi@comcast.netLower School CoordinatorsHappy New Year!New FamiliesThank you to everyone who12 1791 Letter ~January 2010

took the time to give us feedback ontheir Berwick Academy new familyexperience. There are 69 new familieswho joined us on the Hilltop this year.From that group, 32 people filled outthe BAPA New Families Survey online,and another 6 people came to ourDecember 1 holiday meeting and filledthe survey out in person.Overall, the results were verycomplimentary. Many of you said youwere really enjoying your BerwickAcademy experience, and you werepleased with the way the first semesterwas going. Many of you had alreadyvolunteered and attended multipleevents on campus which was veryexciting to learn! Even more of youwere looking forward to volunteeringsome time soon.There were two areas thatcame up again and again in which youmade very helpful suggestions andshared many opinions.1. Volunteering and MeetingOther Parents• Many of you said you wouldattend more BAPA meetings, andyou would volunteer more often, if atleast some meetings were held in theevenings.• New parents want more socialevents throughout the year, allowingyou to meet other parents in yourchild(ren)’s class(es).• Some parents enjoy divisionspecific events more than events whichcross all divisions. This is especiallytrue of Upper School parents.• New Parents would appreciateit if social events could be held closerto where they live.2. Communication• You almost unanimously agreethat the portal is an important sourceof communication.• Many of you providedsuggestions to make the portal moreconsistent, more complete, and easierto navigate.• You prefer being e-mailed tobeing phoned.This is great feedback and givesus much food for thought. As I writethis, the BAPA Board is combing theschool calendar to find ways to scheduleBAPA meetings on nights which bringparents to the school already. Youcan expect evening meetings to beannounced each quarter, starting withthis one! We look forward to youjoining us at a BAPA evening meetingsoon when we swap the morning coffeefor the evening wine and cheese!In addition, BAPA is meeting withJedd Whitlock, our new Director ofAdvancement, to share and reviewyour comments and suggestions.We look forward to reporting on theprogress of this as the year goes on.Until then, please enjoy the start ofthe new semester. As always, if I cananswer any questions, please feel freeto e-mail or call me.Katie ClarkBAPA New Families CoordinatorKclark_uk@hotmail.com(207) 698-0080BAPA CommunicationsIf you need assistance navigating theportal or have feedback, please contactSarah Hebert hebertsh@comcast.netor 207-384-3366.Portal Problems?So you’re having trouble with the portal...Please contact Tracey Kelly by phone or email for assistance. A quick tutorial in person oron the phone will help you to better understand how the portal works and where to find thatimportant information you are looking for!207-384-2164 x 2308 or tkelly@berwickacademy.org1791 Letter ~ January 201013

Fostering Resilience in Our ChildrenLast Tuesday night, I watched thefinal segment of “This Emotional Life” onMPBN. One of the most astounding storiesof the show was that of a physician, who,as a young boy, had sustained both physicaland sexual abuse, and had been in and out ofjuvenile detention centers 24 times. Clearly, thisman was determined to “change his life course,”and was fortunate enough to meet and work foran older gentleman who took a special interestin him. Because of this man’s resiliency and theprotective factor of a meaningful relationship,he was able to change. This story made meimmediately think of a 1791 article that I hadwritten a few years ago on resilience. As youwill see, I have always had a special interestin this subject. You may be surprised to hearthat resilience comes up frequently in my workat Berwick Academy. I am constantly humbledby students’ stories of personal or familydifficulties, and admire their ability to manage,not only their personal pain, but also everythingelse we ask of them. I am continually askingmyself “How is this kid keeping it all together?”“What can I do as a counselor to assist him/herin moving forward while managing all of thisstress?” “What can Berwick Academy do as aninstitution to foster resilience not only for thisindividual, but all of its students?”The MPBNseries confirmed the initial findings of my 1791article. Children and adolescents are resilientby nature. They have an incredible abilityto bounce back after difficult challenges. Theseries also confirmed that there are certain thingsthat we can do as parents and caring adults,as well as an educational institution,to fosterthis resiliency. Just like the older gentlemanwho happened to take a special interest in thejuvenile delinquent/turned successful physician,we must assist our children with their bouncingbackpower. For those of you who have not readthis article, I hope you enjoy it. For those ofyou who have, try to get your hands on thePBS series, “This Emotional Life.” Its worthwatching.I read a great book over theholiday break entitled, The GlassCastle by Jeannette Walls. I’m suremany of you have also read thisincredible memoir of a severelydeprived childhood in the heart ofAppalachia. The Walls family includedfour children, an eccentric mother,and an intellectually curious fatherwho also struggled with alcoholism.Walls began her life on the west coastmoving various times depending on herfather’s grandiose whims and desires.The family eventually moved to WelchCounty, West Virginia, her father’shometown. It is at this point that thereader gets a first-hand look at thepoverty, deprivation and dysfunctionthat the author experienced whilegrowing up. What is so remarkableabout this story is that Jeannette Wallssurvived and maybe even thrived asa result of her environment, and nowworks as a successful columnist atMSNBC. Psychologists would describeWalls’ story as a perfect case study inresilience. In spite of suffering neglect,physical, emotional and sexual abuse,Walls went on to become a positiveand productive member of our society.Resilience has been generally defined bypsychologists as the ability to “bounceback” from adversity. The conceptof resilience has always interested meboth professionally and personally.Professionally, I believe that resilienceis a key ingredient of every successfultherapeutic intervention. Personally,resilience came to the forefront of mylife several years ago when my oldestson sustained a traumatic injury. I, as hismother, tried to do everything I couldto assure that he would “bounce back”from this life-changing event. When Ithink about resilience, many questionscome to mind such as, “Is resiliencethe result of nature or nurture, or acombination of both?” “What role dosocial factors play in the developmentof resiliency?” “What can parents doto foster resilience?” and “What can aschool do to foster resilience?”According to clinical research,resilience is an interactive andsystemic phenomenon, the productof a complex relationship of innerstrengths and outer help throughout aperson’s lifespan. As far as the nature/nurture question, we are all born withthe innate capacity for resilience. Thisinnate capacity enables us to developsocial competence, problem-solvingskills, critical consciousness, autonomy,and a sense of purpose. The nurture orsocial components of resilience havebeen coined as “protective factors”or “protective processes.” Theseprotective factors have been foundto assist individuals in overcomingor circumventing life stressors, andultimately “bouncing back” from anadverse experience. Three majorcategories of protective factors arecaring and supportive relationships;positive and high expectations;and opportunities for meaningfulparticipation. In The Glass Castle allthree of these protective factors assistedJeannette Walls in “bouncing back” orstaying afloat in the chaos of her family.Her parents were egocentric, neglectfuland at times physically abusive, but alsodeeply cared for her and showed hercontinued on pg 17...14 1791 Letter ~January 2010

Rachel SalibaWINTER CARNIVAL1957 - 2004Winter Carnival was a BIGdeal at Berwick Academy. For a fewdays every February, all of the studentswould participate in outdoor activitiesincluding ski events, snow sculpting,silly games, ice skating on The Muck(aka, the Bog), bonfires, hockey andbroom ball games and a CoronationBall. Like all traditions, the WinterCarnival morphed over the years andeventually ended with the last UpperSchool ski trip in 2004. The followingis a photo summary of the tradition ofWinter Carnival at Berwick Academy.Winter Carnival was started in1957 by the newly-formed OutdoorClub whose purpose was to “enjoylife in nature’s wonderland.” The firstcarnival included various ski eventsand a gala dance.The boy on the right won the pie eatingcontest in 1960.The Third Floor of Fogg served as the locationfor the Coronation Balls before the Commonswas built in 1966.1966 Snow sculpting entryThe 1961 Winter Carnival CourtOutdoor Club members ready to skiPowder House - 1957The height of the WinterCarnival tradition occurred during theboarding years at Berwick Academy(1957-1977). The Carnival was heldover an entire weekend and includedmultiple events and activities for thestudents.Because only boys were allowedto board at the school, approximately60 girls would visit campus eachWinter Carnival weekend. The boyshad to give up their dorms for the girlsand sleep on mattresses in the newlybuilt gymnasium.After BA became a countryday school in 1977, Winter Carnivalincluded division-specific activitiesincluding Winter Carnival Dances inthe Middle and Upper Schools. TheLower School held skating parties andeven had a ski trip (only once that I cantell).By 1985, Winter Carnival had1791 Letter ~ January 2010turned into an all-day ski trip. Eachdivision took a day from school andtraveled by bus to the ski areas andwere given discounted tickets and skirentals. The newly formed parentsassociation sponsored dinners for thekids following their day of skiing.Winter Carnival was canceled between1986 and 1993, but was re-introducedin 1993 as a name for ski trips for eachdivision, but few people referred to itas such.Winter Carnival had becomethe BA Ski Trip. While the trips werea lot of fun, the last Upper School skitrip was in 2004, when the trip movedcontinued on pg. 17...15

compassion and a social conscienceby providing opportunities for yourchildren to contribute.• Teach your children how toproblem-solve and make decisions.• Discipline your children inways that promote self-discipline andself-worth.Resilient children are able to“bounce back” from adversity becausetheir parents have provided them witha constancy of love, encouragementand support. Parents of resilientchildren also allow them to learn fromtheir mistakes, as opposed to fixingthem. They encourage their childrento problem-solve and make decisionson their own.Schools are also instrumentalin fostering resilience in children. Asmentioned previously, there are threemajor categories of “protective factors”or “protective processes.” These are:Caring and supportive relationships;positive and high expectations;and, opportunities for meaningfulparticipation. I believe, like othergood schools, Berwick Academy hasthese three “protective factors” activelyin place. The Lower, Middle andUpper Schools at Berwick Academyare designed to assist our students inbuilding individual resiliency. Oneof the most pronounced “protectivefactors” at Berwick Academy is thecaring and supportive relationships thatoccur between faculty and students.Let me digress a moment to share a“parent moment” that confirms thisstatement. My sixteen-year-old son hasgotten to know quite a few kids outsideof Berwick Academy because of his“heavy metal” musical passion. Afterspending a day over break with someof these kids, he returned home andproclaimed how lucky he was to be astudent at Berwick Academy. WhenI asked why, he stated that “I haveteachers who really care about me.” Asecond protective factor that is clearlyvisible at Berwick Academy is “positiveand high expectations.” I believe thatboth parents and faculty regard thisprotective factor as a primary tenetof our school community. In all threedivisions, students are expected to bepositive about academic achievement.Parents and teachers expect themto do their best. The third and finalprotective factor is the “opportunityfor meaningful participation.” Again,I feel Berwick does an excellent jobof providing students numerousopportunities to participate at theschool in ways that they find bothmeaningful and comfortable.Resilience or the ability to“bounce back” from difficult experiencesis a fascinating concept in humandevelopment. While reading TheGlass Castle, I couldn’t stop thinkingabout resiliency as I watched JeannetteWalls and her three siblings movefrom childhood into adolescence, toeventually become contributing adultsin our society. Fortunately, over the pasttwo decades, the concept of resiliencehas expanded from something that onlythe most destitute, deprived individualspossess, to a trait that each of us is bornwith. Parents and schools play a majorrole in nurturing resilience. If a childis fortunate enough to have parentswho know how to foster resilience,and fortunate enough to be a part of anenvironment where all the protectivefactors are in place, they should beable to “bounce back” from almostanything.-Reprinted from Spring 2009Cindy Briggs1791 Letter ~ January 2010Archives News...cont. from pg 15to the weekend and too few skiersparticipated to justify the cost andorganization. The Middle School stillenjoys the tradition of Winter Carnivalwith their upcoming Ski Day on the5th of February and the Lower Schoolstill holds a skating party in March.The 1983 Winter CarnivalWith over 50 years of tradition,it might be fun to bring back some ofthe quirky games and competitions oncampus that used to be a part of theBerwick Academy Winter Carnivaltradition. Don’t ski races to PowderHouse and broom ball on the Mucksound like great ways to get throughthe next few months of winter?1996 Upper School Ski Trip toLoon Mountain17

Dear Berwick Community,Happy New Year from the 1791 House!December proved to be an extremely busy time for the Development Office as we received a welcome surge ofAnnual Fund gifts. I am encouraged to report that 42% of our current parents have made a gift or pledge to the 2009– 2010 Annual Fund, which is up 12% from this same time last year. In terms of total dollars, I am equally encouraged toreport that we have raised almost $470,000 (as of 1/13/2010) in gifts and pledges towards our goal of $575,000. I havebeen blown away by the generous support of the Berwick community – thank you! We are certainly headed in the rightdirection, and I am optimistic, albeit cautiously, that we will be able to reach our goal by June 30, 2010. However, wedo have a great deal of work yet to do to reach our overall fundraising goal and our parent participation goal of 65%.This cannot be done without your support and participation.Parents new to Berwick will receive their first official Annual Fund appeal in early February. I have had the pleasureof meeting numerous new families at the various New Parent Receptions in January. Please do not hesitate to contactme if you have any questions about the importance of the Annual Fund and how it affects our students and facultyeveryday here on the Hilltop. To learn more about the Annual Fund, please visit www.berwickacademy.org/annualfund.Lastly, the Class of 2010 Senior Gift Campaign will kick off in early February. In lieu of an Annual Fund gift,senior parents are asked to make a gift to the Class of 2010 Endowment Fund in honor of the graduating seniors.I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all your support, consideration, and generosity. It is a point ofpride that so many in our community join together to keep our program strong and vibrant. If you have not yet made agift to this year’s Annual Fund, I invite you to do so online at www.berwickacademy.org/giving. Thanks again.Best,Jedd WhitlockDirector of Advancementjwhitlock@berwickacademy.org18 1791 Letter ~January 2010